Yesterday I traveled south for some slightly out of the ordinary shopping. I found each stop to be a bit interesting in it’s own way, so thought it might be fun to pass along my observations here.
For those who only read this blog for it’s sexual content let me say that this post will indeed include a bit of the erotic. You’ll just have to read a bit as I recount my shopping day.
To start the day I visited Great American RV in Fife to look at new Airstream trailers. It had been quite awhile since I’d done so. As readers here know I have a wonderful vintage Airstream and am a bit fanatical about it, and the brand. Much like I suppose owners of Harley Davidson Motorcycles are about their beautiful bikes.
If nothing else the trip yesterday saved me $85,500.00. The price of a last years model Classic in the size I prefer.
It seems to me that in looking over the entire line, I am on the whole disappointed in the new models. Not badly disappointed, and not completely disappointed, but a touch disappointed. I guess to explain I’ll have to sort of run through the current model lines here, from least expensive to most.
I should also I suppose point out that all Airstream brand trailers are expensive. A reasonable quality, serviceable, and comfortable travel trailer can be purchased for 1/5th of the cost of the most inexpensive Airstream model. Size for size, amenity for amenity Airstreams are shockingly expensive. That said, Airstreams are Airstreams, everything else is just a trailer. Quality is also a huge factor in cost, and it is fair to point out that over 70% of all Airstreams built since 1931 are still on the road today. Indeed my own is 39 years old, performs perfectly, and is shockingly cool.
All that out of the way, let’s take a look at the lines for 2009.
Airstream Sport: This is Airstream's lowest cost line. In addition to cost it also offers a huge advantage in that it is light weight and can be towed by cars not normally thought of as tow vehicles. That said, it looses some of what makes an Airstream an Airstream. Most strikingly, it does not have Airstream style windows. It has the same windows as all other RV’s use. That means it will be cold and drafty. Only true Airstream style windows will keep you nice and toasty warm when it’s 20 degrees below zero outside. I suppose though that Airstream style windows are costly, and heavy. In any event, Sport models sell well, and introduce lots of folks to Airstream so I suppose that they are a good thing, but they aren’t the thing for me.
Airstream Flying Cloud: In my view a Flying Cloud is a Sport, but with the good Airstream style windows. Heavier and more costly, but a much better value in my opinion.
Airstream International: I own an International. International was the very top of the line when mine was manufactured, and remained so until the Classic line was created. I still like them today. Strikingly modern interiors mark the International line, gorgeous and functional, perfect if you are into extreme modern design. I do like them, I like the looks of them, and I would be pleased to own one. Given my druthers however, I do prefer a less modern, more traditional look. This brings us to the pinnacle of today.
Airstream Classic: Now we are talking. Hickory interiors, traditional colors, beautiful fabrics, the height of comfort and luxury. The Classic is far and away my choice. If you ever have the opportunity to look at one, I think that you will agree.
Here’s the thing though. Even the tremendous Classic does not seem to be built to quite the exacting degree of quality as mine was so many years ago. It seems strikingly good, almost without fault, yet not perfect. Not perfect enough for me to want to give up my vintage model for a new one. It would certainly be prettier, it would certainly be more comfortable, but it would lack something, perhaps something indefinable, as well.
Here’s the other thing. Only the Classic is a 100% true Airstream. The others may be 90% Airstream, but none of the other lines are 100% Airstream. Only the Classic still comes with the traditional light but strong Airstream style steps. All the others are the same cheap steel one sees on every other trailer out there. Only the Classic still comes with Worthington Aluminum propane tanks, all the other lines come with the same cheap steel ones every other trailer manufacturer uses. I understand why these things happen. A steel propane tank can be had for $20 bucks or less. A Worthington Aluminum propane tank will set you back $400, plus shipping. Nevertheless Worthington Aluminum tanks are Airstream; cheap steel is a far cry from it. Lastly, only the Classic comes with two Zip Dee brand lawn chairs. Airstreams have always come with two Zip Dee brand lawn chairs. Tradition dictates that the worlds finest travel trailer should have a couple of the world’s finest lawn chairs thrown in, alas only the Classic maintains this tradition. If you want a new Airstream, I must recommend the Classic. Or of course a wonderful vintage Airstream.
Remember though that for all of my grumbling, any Airstream is still as a Rolls Royce Silver Ghost is to a Ford Pinto when looking at any other brand.
Airstream shopping finished, $85,500.00 saved, I visited a brand spankin new Tinder Box store just off I-5 in Lakewood. Not a bad store at all. A good selection of smoking requisites all in a nice new building. I have to wonder though about the wisdom of opening a high-end tobacco store given the current social stigmas attached to smoking. I enjoyed my visit, but I didn’t’ buy anything, and I fear that sales will never rise high enough to keep the store afloat.
Leaving the Tinder Box I wandered over to the Hustler Hollywood store located close by. I’d never been, but had seen it along the freeway a number of times now. It was interesting, but not to my style. Lingerie, toys, and indeed more vanilla, less erotic clothing, but for a younger audience, perhaps an audience with a much different background than mine. I did enjoy the store though, they had some great Hustler memorabilia, and I bought Larry Flint’s autobiography. Unlike many people I rather view Flint as a hero. It may have been accidental, but his fight for his own rights under the First Amendment went a very long way to protect the rights of the rest of us. Certainly if it were not for Flint, the adult internet we all enjoy could have been much different indeed.
Lastly, since it is next door, I stopped in to the Lakewood Value Village. Why? Because my husband collects vintage neckties. There are not many collectors of vintage neckties out there, so to my knowledge there is not an established collectors market. Value Village and similar stores do however sometimes produce wonderful finds. It was a lucky day that yielded two great ties, one of them a highly collectable tie. Alas though, it didn’t quite rise to the level of the day some years ago when we discovered a tree covered tie which included the Weyerhaeuser logo from long ago, and which inside included a label stating that it had been specially designed and hand made for Mr. Weyerhaeuser himself. A limited edition of 1. A current Weyerhaeuser executive has offered to purchase it, but to date it remains with us. Perhaps we would feel badly about selling for a huge price a tie that cost us twenty-five cents. On the other hand, we would be giving up a very unique conversation piece.
The visit to look for vintage ties was however a bit disturbing. Disturbing because the entire time we were there an older man was in the little girls section of the store (near the ties) fiddling with the little girls clothing. I must admit that I had to assume him a sex offender. He looked like a sex offender, and was doing what sex offenders must do.
I am, as readers here must know, quite open to any and all sexual fantasies. I do not care if you enjoy a fantasy in which you deflower a young girl, or a young boy for that matter. Fantasies do not harm anyone, no matter what they may be. Enjoy!
Better yet, I find it wonderful if you find an adult woman, or man as the case may be, whom has the opposite fantasy so that you can explore together. She can role-play the innocent young girl, you the deviant male sex offender, and the two of you can both explore the fantasy together, molest the ‘pretty little girl’ till your hearts content. It is all in fun, all to the good.
I am however deeply disturbed and concerned about those true predators out there. Those who do rape and molest children, often destroying them for life. I despise the damage they do, and I fear that is exactly whom I saw fiddling with young girls clothing yesterday. It was in the way he was fiddling.
Consensual, adult sex is wholly to the good, no matter how far it is from the mainstream. Why however some people feel that young children exist to serve their sexual desires is lost to me and will always be lost to me. These folks need to be punished for the harm they cause, and I am pleased that our society is doing so now.
We must however remember that the reason we are able to lock up sex offenders for their crimes now is because our society has become more open about sex. In the past molesters often went unpunished because their crimes were never reported. Shame about our bodies, shame about sex made it a topic that was verboten for many people, created a culture in which reporting abuse became almost impossible. We live in a better time now, a time in which people are less afraid of sex, a time in which such crimes are easily reported, and therefore punishable.
Despite this disturbance though, it was a fun day shopping!
